CLINTON, Mo. — This Thanksgiving will be an extra special time for 24-year-old Henry County Sheriff’s Deputy Zach Sebree.
“I consider myself pretty lucky that I’m still here. Thankful for it,” Deputy Sebree told Fox 4’s Robert Townsend during an interview Wednesday.
Last Friday morning Deputy Sebree said he first pulled over burglary suspect, Randy Taylor, in southwestern Henry County during what Sebree thought would be a routine arrest.
“An attempt to pull him out of the vehicle and arrest him didn’t work at first,” said Sebree, a rookie deputy who’s been on the force for a little over a year.
Sebree said Taylor refused to get out of his truck and suddenly sped off. When the suspect sped away, investigators said a huge piece of stolen mowing equipment Taylor had in the back of his truck slammed into the back of Deputy Sebree’s head, knocking him out cold.
“If I was any taller it would’ve punctured me right here by the jugular,” Sebree said. “It caught me in the back of the head and the sickle also caught me on my shoulder.”
Incredibly, his bosses said Sebree regained consciousness and despite bleeding from his head and being in a lot of pain, the injured deputy hopped back in his squad car, pursued Taylor and even helped his fellow deputies make the arrest.
Randy Taylor has been charged with burglary, theft and assault on a law enforcement officer.
Meantime, Deputy Sebree now has two staples in his head, stitches in his mouth and bruises on his hand.
“We’re just glad we’re standing here talking about an officer getting injured and we’re not talking about an officer who’s been killed in the line of duty,” said Major Robert Hills, spokesman and Chief Deputy for the Henry County Sheriff’s Office.
“I’m thankful that I’m still here and still get to be with my family and my friends,” Sebree said. “It’s worth it, part of the job.”
